Nape strap



NAPE STRAP 2 Sheets-Sheet].

Filed Sept. 24, 1954 INVENTORS leozzar m I ATTORNEY d W. (a

Nov. 6, 1956 s. v. GRANCSAY ETAL 2,769,176

NAPE STRAP Filed Sept. 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @oreard Hamish ATTORNEYUnited States Patent NAPE STRAP Stephen V. Grancsay, Barrytown, N. Y andLeonard Heinrich, Princeton, N. l, assignors to the United States ofAmerica as represented by the ecretary of the Army Application September24, 1954, Serial No. 458,297

2 Claims. (Cl. 2--3) Our invention relates to suspensions for headgearsuch as protective helmets and more particularly to nape straps forengaging the back of the wearers head or the nape of his neck to securethe helmet in place. Such a strap may be used in place of the more usualchin stnap but preferably supplements the chin strap.

When used as a supplement to the chin strap, the helmet has a muchfirmer seat on the head and the tendency to tilt is largely eliminated.This is because the pull of the chin strap is downwardly and forwardlywhile that of the nape strap is downwardly and rearwardly.

However, it is important that the two stnaps have equally good fits onthe head and chin so that their oppositely directed pulls are balancedand of equal force.

With the foregoing in view, it is an object of the invention to providean improved nape strap for a head covering. v

A further object is to provide'an improved nape strap which in part iselastic and in part inelastic.

Other objects and advantages reside in the particular structure of theinvention, combination and arrangement of the several parts thereof, aswill be readily apparent to those skilled in theta-rt upon reference tothe attached drawing in connection with the following specificationwherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a helmet suspension having the inventionapplied thereto, the helmet being shown in chain-dot lines;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a rear view thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view thereof, the headband being omitted.

Referring specifically to the drawing wherein like reference charactersdesignate like parts in all views, 10 desi nates generally a helmet orhelmet liner to which the invention has been applied.

The helmet 10 includes a suspension prise a cradle ill, a headband 12and an adjustable chin which may com-' strap '13. The headband and chinstrap 12 and 13 are of well known form and the cradle 11 corresponds tothat *forming the subject matter of our copending application Serial No.458,298, filed September 24, '1954.

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The nape strap according to the invention is generally indicated by 14and comprises end sections 15 connected together by a center section 16.At least one of the sections is formed of elastic material and at leastone section should include means for varying the length of the same. Inthe embodiment illustrated, the end sections 15 are relatively narrowand are formed of inelastic flexible material. The center section 16 isrelatively wide and is formed of any suitable elastic flexible'material. To secure the nape strap -14 to the helmet shell 10, therehas been provided a pair of buckles 17 which are secured to bucklestraps 18 which in turn are pivotally secured to the helmet shell by anysuitable means such :as the rivets 19. Preferably the rivets 19 aredisposed in the front portion of the shell substantially above the eyesof the wearer. Also, it should be noted that the buckles 17 are locatedoutside of the headband 12 Where they cannot contact the head of thewearer.

With the arrangement just described, it is apparent that the tensionexerted by the center section 16 on the nape or the back of the Wearershead can be readily adjusted whereby a single size nape strap 14suifices to fit all head sizes.

By pivotally connecting the nape strap 14 to the shell 19 by the rivets19, the center section 16 can be raised or lowered to seat below thebulge of each wearers head without distortion of the end sections 15.Thus, .all sections of the nape strap 14 fit flatly at all times.

While we haveshow-n and described what is now thought to be a preferredembodiment of the invention, it should be understood that the same issusceptible to other forms and expressions. Consequently, we do notlimit ourselves to the precise structure shown and described hereinaboveexcept as hereinafter claimed.

We claim:

1. In a helmet, the combination with a helmet shell I having a helmetsuspension which includes a headband disposed in inwardly spacedrelation to said shell; of a nape strap comprising two end portions, anape-engaging References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,669,914 Rogers May 1-5, '1928 I FOREIGN PATENTS 544,383- GreatBritain Apr. 10, 1942 649,559 France Dec.= 24, 1928 735,281 Germany Apr.8, 1943

